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besotted's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Deadnaming, Drug use, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Islamophobia, and Stalking
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Sexual content, Medical content, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
martyna_m's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Terminal illness and Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia
jenny_librarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s not all bad, mind you. It’s compelling and short enough that I powered through it easily. But it’s not good either. It kinda feels like an after school special with the dumbed-down definition of trans, the disabled brother who could be a cardboard cutout for all the time they spend talking about him like he’s furniture, and the author hitting you over the head with life lessons.
I liked some of the humour (Lewis and Clark vs Lois and Clark; Joey’s mind-movie of God, Moses and Jesus trying to tell Christians they actually don’t mind gay folks; the William Shatner Online Institute), but other jokes fell incredibly flat, if not downright offensive (“I always wanted a gay best friend” 🤢).
I wanted to read the Land of Stories, since it’s so popular, but if this book is a faithful representation of Chris Colfer’s writing, I think I’ll pass.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Outing, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Racism, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse and Homophobia
gabe7372's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Drug use, and Terminal illness
wenwanzhao's review against another edition
4.25
As wild as Chris Colfer's writing style is, it is definitely one that I feel comfortable reading. The plot of this novel was very relatable to me. As someone who participates in fandom culture myself, it was a bit odd to see the lifestyle written into a novel. Even so, it worked well as a premise, and did indeed drag me in to the story.
The characters of this novel were not the best I had ever read. They were easily compressed into a few words. Each of them had characteristics that were obviously there to drive the plot. Though they were obviously written to fit a certain mold, I found myself being attached to them and their lives.
The plot of this book was rather basic in design. It seemed to follow a set formula throughout the middle of the story. I did appreciate the diversity in the different characters and scenarios though. LGBT+ representation is my friend.
I expected finishing with a three star rating, but the ending truly threw me in for a loop. It was sweet and sentimental. I felt something stir in my heart. As cliché as that may be. It gave me hope for the world, even if it was only for ten minutes.
Moderate: Terminal illness and Transphobia